Method of and machine for altering a steel rope



H. A. WGOD Nov. 5, 1935.

METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR ALTERING A STEEL ROPE Filed Aug. 23, 1955 5Sheets-Sheet 1 E N INVENToR. HEMPY. W'oo ATT RNEYS.

Nov. 5, 1935. H. A. WOOD 2,019,519

METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR ALTERING A STEEL ROPE Filed Aug. 23, 1953 5Sheets-Sheet 2 A'TTOR' i EYS.

Nov. 5, 1935. H. A. woon 2,019,519

} METHOD OF' AND MACHINE FOR ALTERING A STEEL ROPE Filed Aug. 23, 1953 3Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR.

ATT RNEYS.

Patented Nev. .5, 1935 "PTENT oFFlcr;

l Y 2,019,519 METHOD oF AND momma Fon surname A STEEL ROPE Henry AllynWood, Berkeley'. Calif.

Application August 23, 1933, Serial No. 68.6,4'13 10 Claims. (Cl. 117-1)The present invention relates to a method of and machine for altering asteel rope, and its principal object is to provide a method of and meansfor spreading a previously manufactured steel rope into its constituentparts, eiecting a desired change in the parts while thus spread andagain twisting the parts into a-rope in a continuous operation. i

In a steel rope. manufacturing plant a problem frequently arises inconnection with the altering of steel rope already manufactured. Steelrope consists of a core and a plurality of `strands twisted about thecore, each strand in turn again consisting of a plurality of singlewires twisted' into a strand.

It frequently happens that it becomes desirable to alter the constituentparts of a steel `rope already manufactured. A steel rope may have beenmade with a hemp core for instance, and the trade at that time may callfor a steel rope having a steel core, which makes it necessary to eitherstore the manufactured rope for a certain length of time until a steelrope with a hemp core is again called for by the market, or to changethe rope from ahemp core to a steel core, a procedure which up to nowwas considered practically impossible to carry out.

It may also become necessary to exchange one of the strands of a steelrope already manufactured for a new strand or to change the number ofstrands, substituting for instance eight strands for a six strands, orvice versa.

It has also recently been proposed and a simple It is the object Vof thepresent invention tov provide a simple means for solving all of theseproblems by means of a simplechange in the standard steel rope makingmachinewhich alp lows a rope already manufactured to be untwisted intoits constituent parts, the desired change to be effected and the new setof constituent parts to be retwisted into a rope in a continuousoperation.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear as thespecification proceeds.

The preferred forms of my invention are illustrated ln the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure l shows a top plan view of a machine forpreformlng the strands of a rope already manufactured;

Figure 2 a side elevation of the machine;

Figure 3 a diagrammatic top plan view of a part l of the machinearranged for changing the core of a rope Figure 4 a diagrammatic planview ot the maichine arranged for splicing two ropesgtogether;

Figure 5 a diagrammatic plan View of the machine arranged for addingadditional strands to a rope and for changing the core;

Figure 6 a detail view in axial section of a rope feeding die; and YFigure 'l a detail view in plan of a mechanism l5 for transmittingmotion `at variable speeds from onebobbin to another bobbin mountedcoaxlally therewith.

-While I have shown only the preferred forms of my`invention I wish tohave it understood that 20 various changes or modifications may be madewithin the scope of the claims hereto attached without departing fromthe spirit of the invention. l

noted that while the length of a standard wire twisting machine usuallyextends overseveral hundred feet, and comprises a large number ofsections, depending upon the number ofV strands to be twisted into arope, a large central section 'has been omitted from each of thedrawings as being unnecessary for an understanding of the invention andfor the purpose of allowing the entire machine to be shown in single'views.

Referring first to theform illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, a standardcage I comprising a plu-l rality of rings 2 arranged in spaced andparallel relation and interconnected by an annular series of rods 3,preferably three in number, is revolvably supported on rollers 4, oneset of spaced rollers 40 being provided for each yring and supportingthe `same at points evenly spaced from the vertical center line of eachring. The rollers on one side of the cage may be unconnected but therollers on the opposite side are interconnected by 5 means of a shaft 5extending throughout the length of theA cage and projecting to the rightthereof as shown in Figure 1. This shaft is driven by means of a beltconnection 6 from the motor 1. It will be noted that while this cage mayconsist of a large number of sections only the two end sections areshown in the drawings, and 'all the central sections are omitted. Theend ring z on the right hand side 1s provided with a central hub 8, seeFigures 1 and 6, having a sleeved fixed 55 In connection with the,drawings it should be 25 to the inside thereof, and the sleeve is formedwith a pinion I0 meshing with either one of two bevel gears and I2mounted on a transverse shaft I3 supported in bearings I4, and thisshaft is provided at one of its ends with a gear wheel |5 meshing'A witha lower gear wheel I6, which latter has a pinion |1 mounted coaxiallytherewith. This pinion I1 meshes with a large wheel I8 mounted on atransverse shaft |9 which has mounted thereon, on the opposite side ofthe machine, a large pulley 26.

The rope 2| which may be mounted on a spool not shown in the drawing isfed into the rear end 'of the machine (right hand side of the drawing)through a hollow shaft 22, passing axially through the sleeve 9 andsuitably supported by a fixed standard 23, and the hollow shaftterminates inwardly in a standard die 24 including two senilcylindricalelements 25 held together by means of two screws 26 (see Figure 6). 'Ihescrews are threaded into opposite walls of a casing 21, the front end ofwhich is closed by a plate 28 having an aperture registering with theaperture of the die, and tapering away therefrom as shown at 29.

The rods 3 of the cage are provided with peripherally spaced rollers 30over which the strands 3| of the rope emanating from the die may beguided to run parallel to the rods throughout the 1 length of the cage,thev rings of which are formed in a conventional manner with suitableguide holes while at the opposite end of the cage a corresponding numberof guide rolls 32 are provided. The end ring 2 of the cage on the lefthand side is provided with a conventional twister head 33 including thepreeforming head 34, which latter is not my invention and which simplycomprises three rollers 35 for each strand arranged in close relation sothat the strand passes between the rst and second roller and back againbetween the second and third roller whereby a twist is imparted to thestrand correspond# ing to the twist subsequently applied by theVtwisting operation. From the pre-forming head the individual strandspass through the conventional closing die 36, and while passing they aretwisted into a rope, and this new rope.2 I passes over the Wheel 31 andback again alongside of the machine over the pulley 29 around which itis wound several times, and finally fed on the drum 38.

It should be noted that most of the parts of this machine are ofstandard construction, particularly as far as they refer to the twistingof a plurality of strands .into a rope, and that the principal noveltyof my invention consists in adding to the standard twisting machinemeans for untwisting a rope previously] formed and for feeding the ropethrough the'machine so as to allow certain changes to be brought aboutwhile the strands of the rope are separated from one another.

v I show in connection with Figures 1 and 2 a standard cradle 39 foreach of the sections of the cage but where the sole object of theoperation is to preform the strands of a rope previously made, thecradles need not be provided since the entireoperation consists inpulling the rope through the device by means of the pulley 20,

` untwisting the strands at the die 24, passing theuntwisted strandsindividually through the preforming head 34, and retwisting the same atthe closing die 36. In case .it should happen that .there is a slightvariance in the tension of the individual strands the rollers 38 may beadjusted lengthwise of the rods 6 to take up any slack occasioned by theunequal tension. During the -entire operation the core may be drawnthrough the device through central openings in the rings 2.

Where it is desired to exchange the old core for a new one, either for acore of the same character or of a different character, the deviceillustrated in Figure 3 may be used, it being understood, of course,that this device may be used in the combination shown in Figure 1, ifitis desiredto both substitute a new core and to preform the strands. Inthe schematic view of Figure `3 the rope 2| passes through the die 24and is untwisted by the revolving case I into the strands 3| which areguided over the rollers 30. The core 3| may be guided through the devicecentrally or partly along the rim by means of rollers 49 to be finallyfed through a central sleeve 4| into the end section of the cage whereit is removed, and a new core substituted therefor by the mechanismshown in Figure 3 and with greater detail in Figure 7. In this sectionone of the. conventional-.cradles 39 is provided, the cradle beingsupportediny front: and rear bearings 44, and being underslung to:

remain in stationary position by gravity when thecage revolves. verselyin the cage and is provided with two bobbins 46 and 41, the former beingintendedito take up the old core, while the latter provides the newcore. The bobbin 4 1 is revolved by the pull exercised on the new coreby thepulley 20 and re- -volving motion is imparted from the bobbin.41.to' the bobbin' 46 at a variable speed since 'the speed-` ratiobetween the twobobbins will changegcon- A shaftissupportedtranstinuously during the operation. vAny suitabley methodfor accomplishing this transmission may be used. A's illustrated inFigure, 7 I provide a jack shaft 48 running parallel to the shaft `45.`Both of the bobbins are loose on the shaft 45 and the latter shaft -hasa wheel 49 fixed thereto, mo

tion being transmitted from the bobbin; 41 to y clutch 52 `encirclingthe wheel 49.- Motion is` the Wheel 49 through a pin 50 projecting fromthe bobbin, and a 'stud 5| projectingfrom a friction transmitted fromthe shaft45 to the shaft 48 `at increased speed through the chain 5,3and from the shaft 48 to the bobbin` 46 througha chain 54 and a clutch'arrangement shown; at 55. y friction between the wheel 49 vand thefriction clutch 52 is suiiicient to effect rotation of the bobbin 46 forholding the core taut.` The core is preferably fed on the bobbin 46through -a reciprocating guide 56 well known inthe art and notillustrated in detail. While the old core is The.

thus fed upon the bobbin 46, a new core is fedv from the bobbin 41 intothe closing diev 36 in ceni posev of vsplicing two ropes together, andfor Winding the combined ropes upon a single spool. In this form the tworopes indicated at 2| and 2| have their ends introduced into the cagefrom opposite ends thereof through the dies 36 and 24 respectively. Bothof the ropes are untwisted by means of the revolving cage as illustratedin the drawings and the separate strands of the two ropes are broughttogether and spliced in a manner well known in the art with a number ofwires of one 2,019,619 strand accommodated in registering grooves of antion any other desired operation may be performed on the same, such asthe pre-forming 'of the strands or the substitution of a new core, orthe substitution of a new strand for an old one, or even the addition ofnew strands if such should be desired. l

The device illustrated in Figure provides in addition to thecore-changing means heretofore described, means for adding additionalstrands to the rope. 'Ihis means consists simply in provide ing twoadditional cradles 39, each serving as supporting means for a bobbn 60,from which additional strands 6| are fed over suitable rollers 62 tojoin the other strands at the closing die 36, and to be twisted int'o arope with the same. In this gure, which as a whole is a diagrammaticplan view of the machine,the feeding spool 63 is shown diagrammaticallyin side elevation to bring out the idea that the supportingelements 64for the spool are revolvably mounted as shown at 65, so that the spoolmay be slowly revolved transversely by means o! a handle 66 as" the ropeis withdrawn therefrom.'

I claim:

1. In a machine of the character described,

two spaced dies for guiding a rope, means for L pulling the rope throughthe dies'and means interposed between the dies for untwisting andretwisting the rope, the said means having means associated therewithfor substituting new parts for certain constituent parts of the rope.

2. In a machine oi the character described, two spaced dies for guidinga rope, means for pulling a lrope through the dies and means interposedbetween the dies for untwisting and re-twistingl the rope, the saidmeans having means associated therewith for pre-forming the constituentparts of the rope.

3. In a machine of the character, described, two spaced dies for guidinga rope, means for pulling a rope through the dies andmeans interposedbetween the dies for untwisting and retwisting the rope, the said meanshaving means associated therewith for substituting a new part for one ofthe constituent parts of the rope.

4. In a machine of the character described,.two spaced dies for guidinga rope, means for pulling a rope through the dies and means interposed Ibetween the dies for untwisting and re-twisting the rope, the said meanshaving means associated therewith ior removing one of the constituentparts from the rope.

5. In a machine of the character described, two fi' `it is freed fromthe rope,

spaced dies for guiding a rope, means for pulling a rope through thedies and means -interposed between the dies for untwisting andr'e-twisting the rope, the said means having means associated therewithi'or adding constituent parts to` the 5 rpe.

6. The method oi' untwisting a rope into its; constituent parts, ofsubstituting new parts for Y certain constituent parts and ofre-twisting the new and old parts into a rope in synchronized order. i

7. A machine tor untwisting and twisting a rope comprising an elongatedcage revolvable about its longitudinal axis, a rope entranceat one endoi' the cage and a rope exit at the other 15 end, and means carried bythe cage for untwisting the rope into its constituent parts and foragain twisting the rope back into its original form, and means forremoving apart of the rope and for substituting a new rope part for theone being removed, said means feeding out thenew part as needed, andwinding up the old part as it is freed from the incoming rope.

8. A machine for untwisting and twisting a rope comprising an elongatedcage revolvable about its longitudinal axis, a rope entrance at one endand a rope exit at the other end, guides for supporting rope parts afterthese parts have been untwisted from the rope, said guides extendingparallel with and being spaced from the y cage axis, whereby access canbe had to each separate portion of the rope as it passes through thecage,` the same rotation of the cage which untwists the rope at theentrance end being used for twisting the rope parts back into theoriginal rope.

9. A machine for substituting a new core for one in the rope andcomprising an elongated cage revolvable about its axis, said cage havinga, rope entrance at one end and a rope exit at the other end, meanscarried by the cage for untwisting the strands from the core at theentrance end, means for winding the old core on a spol as it is freedfrom the rope, means for feeding a new core to the exit end of themachine, the rope untwist- 5 ing means winding the strands around thenew ycore at the exit end for providing the rope with l ing the strandsat the entrance end, means for' winding the strand tobe discarded on aspool as Q means for lfeedinga new strand to the exit end of the cage,the rope untwisting means winding the new strand with the other parts o!therope at the exit end for. providing the rope with a new strand.

HENRY ALLYN WOOD.

